All Forum Posts by: Chris Williams

Paging @James Dishongh !

James has you covered, full stop. I have his direct line if you'd like it (please DM).

I'm seeing a curiosity in my property hunt. One I looked into, but didn't find a satisfactory answer.

Right now, I see properties that go from "On Market" to "Pending" within 1-3 days. Breakneck pace, yes, but what puzzles me is what happens afterward (at least in the markets I'm watching). Those same properties stay "Pending" for weeks or months. I'm talking 45, 60, even 90 days in "Pending" status.

Unless I'm missing something, isn't the normal time for "Pending" about 30 days? Enough time for the inspections, lender approvals, paperwork, etc.

For properties to stay in "Pending" so long baffles me. Does anyone have an explanation for why you'd see this?

This is pretty much exactly what I'm doing Travis. It's a good plan, and you're in the right mindset.

But I'll tell you right now, it is NOT easy to find these. The ones you do find will likely be quite overpriced, because people are aware that investors want such properties.

The area had several properties back in 2018 when I started looking. Those are all gone now. When a property comes up, it's usually gone within days. I saw one that went from Listed to Pending within 6 hours!

For agents, I work with @James Dishongh in Vancouver, and he's been an excellent help. 

Feel free to PM me if you'd like more.

I don't know his availability, but @Phil Wells is in Spokane and is very investor-friendly.

I love finding threads like this. All the more reason I have Ohio at #1 on my "best pure-investment opportunities" list. Now if only I could convince the partner to move there...!

I don't know if he covers as far out as Graham, but @Isaac Schaefer is in Tacoma and knows his stuff. Spoke with him last year during a visit, and he has a good eye for properties. Looks like you have some additional resources here as well. Best of luck with it!

Just learned of this. Very sad news. He was a good, jovial sort...like the happy old grandpa who always has a story to tell.

I can't claim for speak for all of Silicon Valley, but I am here for now.

Silicon Valley has a sort of 'economic cloaking device' due to its incredible wealth-generation mechanisms. The 2007-2008 recession didn't disrupt much, and its tech-forward posture has kept many businesses going remotely. It will always have some sort of tech-related prominence.

However, it's lost much of its former strength the past few years (pre-pandemic). Companies have uprooted for lower-tax areas. New companies start up, but many of those decamp as well - pretty fast, once they realize how expensive the real estate and business-unfriendly environment is!

The departures have spawned a bunch of "Silicon-minis" - Silicon Slopes in Utah, Silicon Prairie in Dallas, and several others I don't recall right now. I think this is great, both for local economies and for real estate in those markets. A miniature "Amazon Effect" if you will.

The lockdowns here may accelerate this trend. I know one guy who moved out to Florida, and he's a software developer for a big-name firm here. They wouldn't have let him go prior to this year.

Hope that helps.

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Oh, and I'm getting the heck out of here early next year. Heading to Washington State for a while...where I can actually afford a house!

As promised, I've returned from Spokane!

Nice neighborhoods we saw there:

• Cliff-Cannon. Small neighborhood south of Downtown. Gorgeous older homes here. A few need work, but most are well-kept.
• South Hill area (South Perry, Lincoln Heights, etc.). Tons of housing out this way, most of it in great condition with nicely-spaced neighborhoods. Lots of new construction going on in the southeast region too.
• Far North area (Country Homes, Nevada-Lidgerwood). A little more relaxed of a region, with a wide variety of homes old & new.

I was not enamored with the Emerson Garfield district. It has a few well-maintained homes, though some of the neighborhoods look fairly run down. I didn't feel unsafe there, but it's not exactly sparkling clean. You pays your money and you takes your chances.

One encouraging thing I did see: Spokane's not only building new homes. It's building new schools and libraries!

And as a final note, I 100% agree with Rebecca... @Phil Wells is indeed an excellent local resource, and a solid agent. Knows his stuff and he knows this area.

I'm heading to Spokane this week to look around the region, see some property, and network with some local RE pros. Not a native, but I can share any insights here afterward.